The principal of a school ranked by the News as one of the best in Cambridgeshire puts its success down to a focus on innovation and inclusivity.

Impington Village College has been named the best state-funded secondary school in the region in our Real Schools Guide for 2017.

Led by Ryan Kelsall since January 2016, the college is part of the Morris Education Trust network of schools.

Officially an academy, it educates around 1,100 students aged 11 to 16 and another 300 at its international sixth form.

Impington Village College is part of the Morris Education Trust network of schools (Image: Warren Gunn)

Mr Kelsall said it was "fantastic" that Impington had topped the Real Schools ranking.

"It’s the culmination of three or four years hard work, of moving the school from a really good school to a truly excellent one," he said.

"The big challenge has been to protect all the things that have made us great in the past, support performance and the truly innovative nature of the college."

With a large student population the school must support students with a wide range of abilities.

"This is a school that provides really opportunity for everyone," said Mr Kelsall.

"It doesn’t matter whether you have special educational needs, you’re exceptionally bright or you come from disadvantaged backgrounds, every single student at this school progresses."

Ryan Kelsall, principal of Impington Village College

Mr Kelsall credits a focus on inclusiveness, excellence and an investment in leadership and teacher development as driving the college forward.

It welcomed 34 trainee teachers through its doors last year, with 14 offered jobs for the 2017/18 academic year. In June it was granted National Teaching School status.

GCSE results in 2016 saw one in five students achieving 10 or more A or A* grades, while a 95 percent pass rate in International Baccalaureates was reached in 2017.

Mr Kelsall added that alongside educational achievement the school also aims to offer a diverse curriculum and build links with the community.

It teaches A Levels, International Baccalaureate and performing arts at sixth form, offers 25 subject choices outside core GCSE courses and has five different language learning options.

Mr Kelsall said: "We’re working hard to create a culture where the staff and students feel well valued and to improve the well-being of everyone in the community. That will be a real focus for next year.

"The main things you want for your child are that they are safe and happy in school and that they make good progress.

"We have a pastoral system and academic record that allows us to achieve all those things."